Beetroot is one of my favorite vegetables and I'm happy that my husband likes it too so I can cook anything with beetroot and whenever I like. This soup I actually call my 'selfish soup' and I usually cook it when I start thinking about my home in Lithuania which leads to missing my mum and my friends. Then I usually open a jar of dried mushrooms, which are always picked, dried and given me by my wonderful friend Renata, leave them soaking in boiling water and start cutting and grating the vegetables the way my mum always make. Well almost the same way. My mum though always uses some meat for the soup stock, and even Renata has told me once that she couldn't imagine Borscht without a piece of meat. But I cook it just with vegetables and I just like it this way. A lovely flavor of mustard seeds and bay leaf and the redness of beetroot is all I need for a perfect bowl of my Borscht. So this is the recipe of the borscht my way...

Borscht with dried mushrooms

( serves 6-8)

What we need:

6-7 dried mushrooms ( a handful)

1 large onion

2 carrots

2 large potatoes

3 cloves of garlic

2 bay leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

salt and black pepper

a tiny pinch of chili pepper

½ tsp oregano

3 l water

3 tomatoes

2-3 large boiled or roasted beetroots

2 tbsp of white vinegar or 4 tbsp of lemon juice

a few branches of dill or parsley

olive oil

What we have to do:

Put dried mushrooms into a bowl and pour over some boiling water and let them soak for min 10 min. Then drain and chop into small pieces.

Peel the onion, carrots, garlic and potatoes. Chop the onion and garlic, grate the carrot. Cut potatoes into cubes.

Pour some olive oil into a pot and add chopped onion and grated carrot. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes over a medium heat. Then chop the tomatoes and add into a pot. Cook for 3 more minutes. Add cubed potatoes, dried mushrooms, oregano, bay leaves and mustard seeds and pour over the water. Bring it to boil and cook for 15 minutes.

Peel and grate the beetroot.

While the soup is cooking, add the chili and vinegar together with beetroot. Bring it to boil and cook for 5 minutes. Finally add finely chopped dill. Also adjust the seasoning and remove from the heat.

Traditionally it is served with a tablespoon of sour cream but I prefer without it. Enjoy!